Individuals for sure. And as for a relationship - I'm on the pill and it's so darn cheap (yes, I am on generic, I know that others spend 5 times what I do) that I couldn't imagine hitting my SO up for the cash.

I do light-heartedly suggest he should pay for my monthly trips to the waxist though

individuals. I can't think of any reason that the government or health insurers should pay for it - it's a personal choice to have sex, and if you want to avoid the common side effect of pregnancy you need to take measures to do that.

as far as within a relationship, I think it's a very personal choice. for us, any contraception comes out of the household budget and has done since we started living together almost 8 years ago

Within my relationship I pay for the pill and DF pays for condoms. I have never really thought about it, just makes sense, I'm on the pill so I am responsible for getting it, DF also insists on wearing condoms, so he is responsible for those.

I think that preventative measures should always be the cheapest option.

I think that it is in the government's best interest to ensure all Australians have easy and cheap access to contraception.

I guess on an individual basis, all should pay for their own contraceptive devices. I have always paid for mine (and to think of it, DH's too!) but then i have never wanted an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy.

QUOTE

I can't think of any reason that the government or health insurers should pay for it - it's a personal choice to have sex, and if you want to avoid the common side effect of pregnancy you need to take measures to do that.

Well if people don't have access to cheap contraceptives etc and catch STIs or have unwanted pregnancies, the cost generally comes back to the public purse.

Essentially i believe that all women should have access to education and have reproductive autonomy over their own body, and that they should never be denied contraceptives etc or access to services such as safe abortion and maternal care services.

I know condoms are sometimes provided free of charge at some places, but they really should be heavily discounted to health care card holders too.

Some types of the pill are heavily discounted for those with health care cards.

As for who should pay otherwise, every individual should be accountable for their own sexual health. Men shouldn't rely on women to be on the pill and women shouldn't rely on men to have condoms.

I will be teaching my daughter that it is her duty to make sure she is protected against both STIs and pregnancy, no matter what she is told by men she is sleeping with. It will be her who has to deal with any pregnancy resulting from unprotected sex, not him, and as a result she needs to make sure she keeps herself safe.

If I ever have sons, I'll be teaching them similarly, though of course at this point in time their sole protection is condom-usage, whereas my daughter can combine contraceptive methods for more adequate protection.

A lot of contraceptive options are already heavily subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and what we pay is just a co-payment for prescription items - which is a good way of doing it, I think. And as PPs have mentioned there are ways to get hold of free condoms.

In my socialist paradise it would all be paid for by the government though. I'm a big believer in prevention of unwanted pregnancy as opposed to dealing with it post-conception (not to mention STI prevention) and to deny some socio-economic groups this level of reproductive autonomy on the basis of their economic situation is not what I would call equitable.

On the surface the answer was/is simple however when I thought about it a bit more I came up with a different answer.

It depends what sort of concreption we are talking about, I was on one but it wasn't because I was avoiding getting pregnant it was because I have lady issues which only a hyst will fix. In the meantime I jumped at the chance of trying a medication. Which yes is sold mainly as a concrecption however for me it was due to health issue. It is not one that has a generic option nor on the PBS so it was costing alot. It would have been great if the govt had been able to subside it. Thankfully my health insurance does offer some money back on medications (those not on the PBS) so I got some back, but it still cost me alot of money and much more then if I had been on a generic pill and it wasn't my fault I couldn't go on a generic pill.

However I do understand that the govt can't be providing all medications, it would just be nice if they could provide the one I needed cheaper, but I do understand a small percentage of women are using the medication for my reasons, most would be using it for concreception.

I won't talk about other threads direct but I am sick of the government being responsible for paying everything, 'you' want to have sex you pay and as I (being a female, science cannot change that) are the one that would end up pregnant I am responsible for myself.

Why should the government be responible for people who can't afford to have a child? why are they breeding then?

QUOTE (FluffyOscar @ 09/11/2012, 01:08 PM)

I think the government should pay for contraceptives. I imagine it would be much cheaper to pay for contraceptives than it would to pay for unplanned children for their lifetimes via various welfare schemes. But it would be counter-productive, wouldn't it, to discourage new taxpayers being born.

I won't talk about other threads direct but I am sick of the government being responsible for paying everything, 'you' want to have sex you pay and as I (being a female, science cannot change that) are the one that would end up pregnant I am responsible for myself.

I dunno about you but I am more than happy to pay for my older teenagers contraceptives.Don't want to be known as Soontobegran2 on EB

I think the government should pay for contraceptives. I imagine it would be much cheaper to pay for contraceptives than it would to pay for unplanned children for their lifetimes via various welfare schemes. But it would be counter-productive, wouldn't it, to discourage new taxpayers being born.

I agree with this.....I mean its easy to have an initial knee jerk reaction to the question and say "you choose to have sex, you pay for the contraceptive ...or pay for the consequences...." And it's the "consequences" that's the rub.....the tax payer is paying at the moment for my decision not to use contraceptives some 18 months ago ....(through PPS, Medicare etc).....I will try to encourage him to become a responsible tax paying individual at some time in the future so he can thank you all!

But seriously, if it saves the cost of unwanted children, spread of STDs etc ... Why not?

im not 100% sure, but im pretty sure STBG's children who have reproduced are older than teens?? and anyway, STBG is awesome, i think more people should be like her she is so helpful and lovely and she adores her grandbabies so much it its beautiful....

eta: to answer the actual question, my partner and i share the cost of contraception. sometimes i pay, sometimes he pays. its not an issue and as long as someone pays, i dont think it matters in our situation

im not 100% sure, but im pretty sure STBG's children who have reproduced are older than teens?? and anyway, STBG is awesome, i think more people should be like her she is so helpful and lovely and she adores her grandbabies so much it its beautiful....

Oh I love STBG too Nearly as much as I love BadCat, BetteBoop and Julian Assange.I just don't want to be a grandmother YET.

your health, your choice, you should be the one to pay? Dont want an STI go get contraception. Dont want a baby go get contraception.....

It is your health, your choice but in the end society ends up paying a lot for unplanned pregnancies, STIs etc, through healthcare and benefits so to me it would be prudent that it is supplied through medicare the government would probably save a lot of money. Cheap at twice the price!

Until that happens though, each pays for their own, which in a partnership is communal money anyway.

After living in the UK for 10 years I fully support completely government subsidised contraception. The right to choose when to have children should not be determined by whether you can afford preventative measures!

Just because the charge for the medication is not an issue for YOU does not mean that it is not an issue for someone else.

Seriously, if you want an example of why contraception should be free just take a quick squiz at the states right now, need I say more?